Gen Con Indy is the original, longest running, best attended, gaming convention in the world. Gen Con is a consumer and trade experience dedicated to gaming culture and community. Gen Con Indy is the largest annual consumer fantasy, electronic, sci-fi, adventure and hobby game convention in North America. Each year gaming enthusiasts converge to share their love for all things gaming, from tournaments to guest appearances, exhibit hall booths to electronic games, workshops, seminars, anime, art shows, auctions and countless other activities. Gen Con takes place in downtown Indianapolis from Thursday, August 16th to Sunday, August 19th at the Convention Center and also spreads out into other buildings like the Anime section being in the Westin Hotel. You have to buy a badge to get in and can get either a 4-Day, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Trade Day, VIG or VIG Companion option all for different price levels. The best deal is the 4-Day, but if you are on a budget, I’d recommend attending on Saturday because that’s when you’ll see the best costumes and the costume contest takes place. Also if you volunteer your time working at Gen Con, you can earn a free badge.

Here’s what I’m psyched about this year. First off, I’m going to dress up as Katniss from Hunger Games in her hunting apparel with the arena jacket. I have a mockingjay pin and a toy set of bow and arrows that I hope will be fake enough to get in, but not so lame that they are embarrassing to carry around.

I really look forward to seeing the costumes every year. You can tell by how many pictures I take! Here are a few favorites from last year’s album.

There are three big Guests of Honor this year. Wes Bentley, Wil Wheaton and Nichelle Nichols will all be there and will be signing autographs for fans on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. An American Beauty/Hunger Games cast member and two big Star Trek names, not to mention Wheaton’s fun stints on The Big Bang Theory.

Would have been fun to shoot an arrow at Seneca Crane’s autograph signing table! hehehe Unfortunately, I just have little lame suction cups at the end of my arrows anyway for the safety of convention goers.

This year, Gen Con will host two global Magic: the Gathering Championships so I know where my husband will be lurking. They are starting with a Friday Night Magic Championship which will start on THURSDAY (Yeah, I know) and will involve 100 players from around the world. Then Friday is the Magic World Cup which brings together the best players from 50 countries in an international competition.

Coverage of the World Cup begins Friday morning with a live video webcast and text coverage running all three days of the event. Live chat sessions with players, R&D staff, and coverage reporters will take place at various times during the three days on CoverItLive, video content will post to YouTube on the wizardsmtg channel, and you can follow or join in the conversation with the official Twitter hashtag for the World Magic Cup#mtgwmc.

New Events!

New events this year at Gen Con include an Apples to Apples bash, a beer tapping event with Sun King brewing an Ale of Destiny (whoa), and once again you can playtest new games that haven’t hit the market yet like Dan and I did last year with that hiking card game. Gen Con is debuting a new area for playtesting called the First Exposure Playtest Hall which will be in Sagamore Ballrooms 6 and 7.

There will also be live music events! A variety of bands – from rock to nerdcore to video game music to mixed comedy performances – will perform in Grand Ballroom II and III on the second floor of the Westin, just across the skywalk from the Indiana Convention Center on Friday, August 17 and Saturday, August 18.

I’m not nerdy enough for Gen Con.

WHAT?? Just kidding. There are tons of SA or Spousal Activities for those not nerdy enough to partake in the nerdiness that ensues at Gen Con. There is crafting, dance classes, self defense, and workouts like yoga you can check out. Chances are you’ll find tons of fun stuff anyway.

With less than two days to go, all we have to do is wait now….then gamers will descend upon the city! You can follow Gen Con Indy’s Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/genconindy